TREED BY AN ELEPHANT 245 



woman' was coming back to make a more 

 thorough investigation. This time she charged 

 by to my right, and as soon as she had passed 

 I sprang to my feet and once more rushed on, 

 relying on the noise she was creating to drown 

 whatever racket I might make. 



"As I broke through the cover and for an 

 instant glanced back, she was standing at the 

 far side of the brush patch looking in my di- 

 rection, but before two more steps could be 

 taken she was at me again. 



"My eyes were riveted on that tree, and with 

 every jump I longed for postponement of the 

 silence that would tell me she had passed out 

 of the thicket and into the open. I could then 

 judge how much lead I had and what were my 

 chances for escape. 



"Suddenly the crackling of limbs and the 

 swish of bushes ceased and the shuffling and dull 

 thud of feet on the gravelly earth was heard. A 

 hasty calculation placed me a little more than 

 half-way between the animal and the river, 

 still I did not look back. I could not look! I 

 did not want to see her, and yet in my mind's 

 eye I depicted her charging along behind as 

 plainly as though she had been in front, instead 

 of in my rear. 



